April 18, 2016 — POLLOCK, Texas — Central Volunteer Fire Department received a 1993 Stewart
Stephenson excess military vehicle to convert into a firefighting apparatus through the Department of Defense
Firefighter Property Program, which is administered by Texas A&M Forest Service.
Recipients of this program are required to convert the vehicle into a service-ready unit within 180 days of
acquisition.
“We had the truck painted and added a 500-gallon water tank, pump, ladder, safety rails and a [donated]
diamond plate grill,” said Chief Dennis Cochran of Central VFD.
Although the DoD Firefighter Property Program offers excess vehicles to fire departments at no cost, the
departments are responsible for the cost of converting the military vehicles into suitable firefighting equipment.
This is often accomplished in the form of fundraisers or donations from the community.
Central VFD has held bar-b-que fundraisers and sent mailouts asking for donations to assist with their expenses
in the past, according to Chief Cochran.
Since its initiation in 2005, the Department of Defense Firefighter Property Program has released over 400
retired military trucks to volunteer fire departments across Texas to better help them protect lives and property.
To learn more about this program, or other fire department assistance programs offered by Texas A&M Forest
Service, visit http://texasfd.com.